Sean McAndrew - Scranton City Council

10/19/2026

Over the weekend, a downtown business owner reached out to me regarding the loss of parking during the 90 day traffic pattern adjustment. During this time, the city is removing stoplights at 13 intersections and replacing them with stop signs and flashing red signals.

Last night I drove downtown to see it for myself. Parking is indeed being eliminated on several streets. Our downtown businesses and residents have already been through enough this year. Water main breaks this summer and ongoing sidewalk work have made parking tight for months. Taking away more spaces adds to that.

I appreciate the city providing a Facebook post with details about these changes, but I was disappointed that the impact on parking wasn't mentioned. For the people living and working downtown, that's a huge part of the conversation. I'll be reaching out to the administration to ask how many parking spaces are affected and whether any can be restored during the trial.

If you're a downtown business owner or resident adversely impacted by these changes, I'd like to hear from you. Send me a message anytime.

10/15/2026

Scranton City Councilman Sean McAndrew questioned whether the changes are necessary, saying he has not heard complaints about safety at downtown intersections.

“The administration and the mayor believe this will make the downtown streets safer. I’m not sure I agree with that,” McAndrew said. “I’ve never heard any complaints about the streets not being safe downtown, whether crossing or driving.”

McAndrew also said City Council has not been informed about the specific metrics the city plans to use to determine whether the trial is successful.

“Right now, council is unaware about what metrics they are using to collect that data,” he said. “So, it’ll be interesting for us to take a look at that, and, you know, see what comes back.”

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Scranton is preparing to remove traffic lights at 13 downtown intersections as part of a 90-day trial aimed at improving street safety, but the proposal is…

10/13/2026

At our most recent City Council meeting, I requested a written list of all city vendor contracts coming due or set to automatically renew. Specifically, I looked for contract amounts, expiration dates and renewal terms. With budget season approaching, it’s important to review our commitments and identify potential savings for taxpayers.

We also have good news at Leggetts Creek! After residents brought the dumping in the area to our attention, DPW was able to remove the couch and clean up the area.

Thank you to our DPW for their work in this matter. And thank you to the residents who raised their concerns. Good government begins with our citizens and your input makes a difference!

10/10/2026

Today, I met with developer Casey Donahue for a discussion about downtown Scranton’s development process. We talked about what works as well as opportunities to make the process more efficient.

Hearing directly from those investing in our city is important as we look for ways to encourage responsible development, support local businesses and keep Scranton moving forward.

Reinvestment in our city, especially the downtown, is vital for our future growth. Thank you to Casey for taking the time to meet and share your perspective!

09/26/2026

Today, I met with Scranton School Board President Tom Borthwick, Director Joe Brazil and Assistant Superintendent Pat Laffey to discuss ways that the City and School District can collaborate.

We discussed the possible return of a shared services committee and creating new programs and opportunities for Scranton school district students.

There are plenty of opportunities for the City and District to work together and I look forward to turning these ideas into action.

Also, this week’s City Council meeting recording is available in the comments below.

09/17/2026

With budget season approaching, I requested that every department head identify potential cuts and cost-saving measures within their department.

Every department should be taking a hard look at its operations and finding opportunities to save taxpayer dollars.

Council also held a caucus with Pennsylvania American Water to discuss the ongoing issues and concerns affecting the City.

If you’d like to watch the full discussions, links to both meetings are in the comments below.

09/10/2026

At Tuesday’s Council meeting, I raised concerns about the City making Euclid Street an illegal one-way. Proper protocol was not observed as council was unable to vote on this matter.

Tickets being issued for driving the wrong way may not hold up because the change was not officially made. This is a problem and also raises questions about liability if there’s an accident.

Also over the past three months, there have been 28 police calls involving noise complaints, fights and even reports of gunshots at the Isla Paraiso establishment on Main Avenue. This went beyond being a nuisance and became a public safety issue.

I believe the administration failed to look at every available option to shut down the after-hours operation after learning of the complaints and problems there.

The City’s Certificate of Occupancy lists the property as a restaurant, with hours ending at 10pm and not an after-hours club.

If the business was operating outside its approved usage and hours, and the City was aware of the ongoing issues, why didn’t it take action?

07/28/2026

Our water bills have risen 35% since 2020, during which time Pennsylvania American Water has requested 4 significant rate hikes. PA Water claims the funds generated from the hikes will go towards reinvestment, like replacing aging pipelines and general infrastructure repair. Had care and attention been paid to these existing lines, perhaps these issues could have been avoided. Instead, for the second time in less than two weeks, our downtown residents and business owners are faced with a disruption in water service.

As a city, we should be demanding answers and holding PA Water accountable for their inaction. I’m calling on PA Water to conduct a city-wide review of our existing water lines. Additionally, I plan to request they appear before Council to explain how we got to this point and how they plan to address issues in the future. Our citizens deserve answers!

07/27/2026

This week, I voted no on the proposed budget transfer for the purchase of the Fidelity Bank building.

From the beginning, I have had serious reservations about this purchase. Much information is missing: the lack of formal written plans, unanswered questions about the total cost to taxpayers, the administration’s failure to provide PEL’s five-year budget projections, as well as other concerns which have been raised by our residents.

Before committing additional taxpayer dollars, Council should have complete information and a full understanding of the financial impact on the City

Council also held a caucus with the Director of Parks & Recreation to discuss concerns, ask questions and provide an update on city programs.

I’ve included links to both the caucus and regular meeting in the comments.

07/12/2026

This week, Council questioned the administration about the proposed transfer of funds for the Fidelity building. Before approving additional taxpayer dollars, we need clear answers and a complete understanding of the plan.

The link to the full caucus is in the comments if you’d like to watch the entire discussion.